The Godfather

The Godfather is a crime novel written by American author Mario Puzo, originally published in 1969 by G. P. Putnam's Sons. It details the story of a fictitious Sicilian Mafia family based in New York City (and Long Beach, NY) and headed by Don Vito Corleone, who became synonymous with the Italian Mafia. The novel covers the years 1945 to 1955, and also provides the backstory of Vito Corleone from early childhood to adulthood. The book introduced Italian criminal terms like consiglieri, caporegime, Cosa Nostra, and omertà to an English-speaking audience. It formed the basis for a 1972 film of the same name and its 1974 sequel, which are widely considered to be two of the greatest films of all time. Much controversy surrounds the title of the book and its underworld implications. Although it is widely reported that Puzo was inspired to use "Godfather" as a designator for a Mafia leader from his experience as a reporter, the term The Godfather was first used in connection with the... full article at wikipedia